Modular building construction system and method

Abstract

A building construction system of includes a prefinished exterior weather-tight insulating skin (panel), a cavity and structural zone where electrical, mechanical, plumbing, HVAC, data/audio systems can run freely and be modified, and a prefinished interior wall panel which is easily removable allowing access to the cavity and structural zone. The exterior and interior panels are mounted to structural components and create the cavity therebetween.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. An interior partition wall structure comprising:
 a first wall panel having a finished surface; 
 a first vertical support having first and second ends, the first vertical support being securable to a horizontal surface of an associated building; 
 a first partition divider secured to the first vertical support, the first partition divider having a first outer surface on at least one side thereof and at least one rabbet adjacent the first outer surface, the at least one rabbet including a recessed wall panel support surface; 
 wherein a first edge of the first wall panel is mounted to the wall panel support surface such that the finished surface of the first wall panel and the first outer surface of the first partition divider form a portion of a first finished wall surface of the interior partition wall structure; and 
 wherein the first edge of the first wall panel is received in the rabbet to provide a generally flush transition between the first wall panel and the first outer surface of the first partition divider. 
 
     
     
       2. The interior partition wall structure of  claim 1 , further comprising a second vertical support having first and second ends, the first vertical support being securable to a horizontal surface of an associated building in spaced relation to the first vertical support; and
 a second partition divider secured to the second vertical support, the second partition divider having a first outer surface on at least one side thereof and a first rabbet adjacent the first outer surface, the first rabbet including a recessed wall panel support surface; 
 wherein a second edge of the first wall panel is mounted to the wall panel support surface of the second partition divider such that the finished surface of the first wall panel and the first outer surfaces of the first and second partition dividers form a portion of the first finished wall surface of the interior partition wall structure; and 
 wherein the second edge of the first wall panel is received in the rabbet of the second partition divider to provide a generally flush transition between the first wall panel and the first outer surface of the second partition divider. 
 
     
     
       3. The interior partition wall structure of  claim 2 , wherein the first and second partition dividers each have a second outer surface opposite the first outer surface, a second rabbet adjacent the second outer surface, the second rabbet including a recessed wall panel support surface; and
 further comprising a second wall panel having a finished surface, the second wall panel having first and second edges mounted to respective recessed wall panel support surfaces of the first and second partition dividers on an opposite side of the first and second partition dividers than the first wall panel such that the finished surface of the second wall panel and the second outer surfaces of the first and second partition dividers form a portion of a second finished wall surface of the interior partition wall structure. 
 
     
     
       4. The interior partition wall structure of  claim 3 , wherein the first and second wall panels are coextensive along respective widths thereof. 
     
     
       5. The interior partition wall structure of  claim 2 , further comprising a third vertical support between the first and second vertical support. 
     
     
       6. The interior partition wall structure of  claim 2 , wherein the first vertical support has a thickness of 2.5 inches. 
     
     
       7. The interior partition wall structure of  claim 6 , wherein the first partition divider has a thickness of 5.5 inches. 
     
     
       8. The interior partition wall structure of  claim 7 , wherein first and second wall panels have a thickness of less than 1.5 inches, whereby the interior wall structure has a maximum thickness of 5.5 inches. 
     
     
       9. An interior partition wall structure comprising:
 a first wall panel having a finished surface; 
 a first vertical support having first and second ends, the first vertical support being securable to a horizontal surface of an associated building; 
 a first partition divider secured to the first vertical support, the first partition divider having a first outer surface on at least one side thereof and at least one rabbet adjacent the first outer surface, the at least one rabbet including a recessed wall panel support surface; 
 wherein a first edge of the first wall panel is mounted to the wall panel support surface such that the finished surface of the first wall panel and the first outer surface of the first partition divider form a portion of a first finished wall surface of the interior partition wall structure; 
 a second vertical support having first and second ends, the first vertical support being securable to a horizontal surface of an associated building in spaced relation to the first vertical support; and 
 a second partition divider secured to the second vertical support, the second partition divider having a first outer surface on at least one side thereof and a first rabbet adjacent the first outer surface, the first rabbet including a recessed wall panel support surface; 
 wherein a second edge of the first wall panel is mounted to the wall panel support surface of the second partition divider such that the finished surface of the first wall panel and the first outer surfaces of the first and second partition dividers form a portion of the first finished wall surface of the interior partition wall structure;
 wherein the first and second partition dividers each have a second outer surface opposite the first outer surface, a second rabbet adjacent the second outer surface, the second rabbet including a recessed wall panel support surface; and 
 
 further comprising a second wall panel having a finished surface, the second wall panel having first and second edges mounted to respective recessed wall panel support surfaces of the first and second partition dividers on an opposite side of the first and second partition dividers than the first wall panel such that the finished surface of the second wall panel and the second outer surfaces of the first and second partition dividers form a portion of a second finished wall surface of the interior partition wall structure; 
 wherein the first and second wall panels are coextensive along respective widths thereof; and 
 wherein the first edge of the first wall panel includes a rabbet configured to cooperate with the rabbet of the first partition divider. 
 
     
     
       10. A method of assembling an interior partition wall structure comprising:
 securing a first vertical support having first and second ends to a horizontal surface of an associated building; 
 securing a first partition divider to the first vertical support, the first partition divider having a first outer surface on at least one side thereof and at least one rabbet adjacent the first outer surface, the at least one rabbet including a recessed wall panel support surface; and 
 securing a first wall panel having a finished surface to the first partition divider by mounting a first edge of the first wall panel to the wall panel support surface such that the finished surface of the first wall panel and the first outer surface of the first partition divider form a portion of a first finished wall surface of the interior partition wall structure; 
 wherein the first edge of the first wall panel is received in the rabbet to provide a generally flush transition between the first wall panel and the first outer surface of the first partition divider. 
 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 securing a second vertical support having first and second ends to the horizontal surface of the associated building in spaced relation to the first vertical support; 
 securing a second partition divider to the second vertical support, the second partition divider having a first outer surface on at least one side thereof and a first rabbet adjacent the first outer surface, the first rabbet including a recessed wall panel support surface; 
 mounting a second edge of the first wall panel to the wall panel support surface of the second partition divider such that the finished surface of the first wall panel and the first outer surfaces of the first and second partition dividers form a portion of the first finished wall surface of the interior partition wall structure. 
 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 11 , wherein the first and second partition dividers each have a second outer surface opposite the first outer surface, a second rabbet adjacent the second outer surface, the second rabbet including a recessed wall panel support surface, and
 further comprising mounting first and second edges of a second wall panel having a finished surface to respective recessed wall panel support surfaces of the first and second partition dividers on an opposite side of the first and second partition dividers than the first wall panel such that the finished surface of the second wall panel and the second outer surfaces of the first and second partition dividers form a portion of a second finished wall surface of the interior partition wall structure.